EFFECT OF BLADE TYPE, CUTTING VELOCITY AND STALK CROSS SECTIONAL AREA OF CHICKPEA STALKS ON CUTTING ENERGY, CUTTING FORCE AND SPECIFIC ENERGY

SUSHILENDRA¹*, M. VEERANGOUDA², M. ANANTACHAR³, K.V. PRAKASH⁴, B.K. DESAI⁵, S.N. VASUDEVAN^6
1Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584102, Karnataka, India
²Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584102, Karnataka, India
³Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584102, Karnataka, India
⁴Department of Farm Machinery and Power Engineering, College of Agricultural Engineering, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584102, Karnataka, India
⁵College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584102, Karnataka, India
⁶College of Agriculture, University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, 584102, Karnataka, India
* Corresponding Author : ersushilendra@gmail.com

Received : 14-08-2016     Accepted : 22-09-2016     Published : 01-11-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 53       Pages : 2658 - 2662
Int J Agr Sci 8.53 (2016):2658-2662

Keywords : Chickpea, Cutting energy, Cutting force, Specific energy, Harvesting, Threshing
Academic Editor : Rajesh Jatav
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : The authors would like to acknowledge with thanks the Vice Chancellor, Director of Research and Dean (PGS), University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur for their support and encouragement, which facilitated them to carry out the present study. This paper is a part of the Ph.D. research work of the first author registered at University of Agricultural Sciences, Raichur, Karnataka, India.
Author Contribution : None declared

A study was carried out to investigate the effect of blade type, cutting velocity and cross sectional area of stalks on cutting energy, cutting force and specific energy required for cutting of chickpea stalks. A pendulum type impact test rig was designed and developed to measure the cutting energy. The bundled chickpea stalks were fitted firmly in the stalk holder to replicate stalks stand in the field. Two types of blades viz., smooth edge and serrated types were used for the present study. The results showed that the cutting energy, cutting force and specific energy requirement were decreased as the cutting velocity increased for both type of blades whereas these values were increased as the cross sectional area of chickpea stalks increased. Among the two types of blades used for experiments, serrated type blade required less cutting energy, cutting force and specific energy as compared to that of smooth edge type blade at all cutting velocities and diameters of stalks.